Lahore, January 8, 2025: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has released an updated list of foreign players ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 draft, scheduled for January 11. However, Australian star Steve Smith and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson have opted out of participating in the tournament.
According to sources, Steve Smith declined the invitation due to prior commitments, while Kane Williamson also turned down the initial offer. Despite Williamson’s refusal, PCB officials are reportedly making efforts to convince him to join the league.
The revised platinum category features several prominent international players. Australian cricketers David Warner, Matthew Short, and Riley Meredith remain available. Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman, England’s Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Curran, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore are also listed, though Adil Rashid’s participation awaits final approval. Additionally, New Zealand’s Finn Allen and Mark Chapman have confirmed their availability, with Williamson marked as tentative. Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka and West Indies’ Shai Hope round out the platinum list.
Regarding English players, the PCB is working on securing the necessary NOCs, with particular focus on Chris Woakes and Jonny Bairstow. Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan will only be eligible to participate as a batter due to his bowling ban.
The PCB intends to release a further updated list of players in the coming days. The highly anticipated PSL 10 will take place in April and May 2025.
Draft rescheduling and venue change
The PSL 10 draft, initially set for an earlier date, has been rescheduled to January 13 in Lahore due to adverse weather forecasts predicting rain. This two-day postponement aims to ensure smooth operations and provide broadcasters and production teams additional preparation time.
A rehearsal for the draft will be conducted on January 12 to finalize arrangements. The draft, which was originally planned to be held in Gwadar, will now take place at Bara Dari in Lahore. An official announcement regarding the new schedule is expected soon.
Franchise discontent over venue selection
Multan Sultans’ owner Ali Jahangir Tareen expressed dissatisfaction with the PSL management over the initial decision to hold the draft in Gwadar. In a recent interview, Tareen criticized the management for making a rushed decision without consulting franchise owners.
“One day, we received a message in the official PSL WhatsApp group saying that this year’s draft would be held in Gwadar,” Tareen explained. “One franchise owner, visibly upset, asked, ‘Is this a discussion or final?’ The reply was, ‘Final, brother.’”
He further elaborated, “We were confused. Just as we were discussing options like London and Dubai, we suddenly got a message saying, ‘Gwadar final, brother.’ Three minutes later, there was a press release confirming it.”
Draft pick order
Despite the controversies, the draft order for the platinum category remains unchanged. Two-time champions Lahore Qalandars will have the first pick, followed by their arch-rivals Karachi Kings. The 2019 champions Quetta Gladiators will pick third, while Peshawar Zalmi holds the fourth position. Last season’s runners-up, Multan Sultans, will pick fifth, with reigning champions Islamabad United selecting last in the opening round.
The rescheduled draft and the inclusion of high-profile international stars are expected to heighten excitement for the tenth season of the Pakistan Super League.
